Thick smoke and 108 degrees! Here is a good web site to look at before you venture into California for backpacking.
http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/imagery.php?op=fire&fireID=ca-north-000I heard part of the PCT is closed too. If you want to do the Sierra - stay south and on the east side.
Posted by: hikerduane
Re: We are burning up! - 07/09/08 06:26 PM
I was going to do a short two hour hike on the PCT, a short distance from home and had to go south as the Bucks Lake Wilderness was closed due to the fires. I work in NV during the week and the smoke is about as bad as the smoke where I live, 20 miles or less now from some of the fires. Not a good summer for anything, anywhere. Although one guy who posts on HighSierraTopix was up in the NE corner of CA and had nice, clear skies on a trip over the 4th in the Warner Mt. Wilderness area.
I feel sorry for the thru hikers who are hitting the Plumas NF area now. I don't know how far along some of them are, they will have to bypass the area, like about 8-10 years ago or less when there were fires in the area also.
We went over Mono Pass into the Fourth Recess over the holidays and skies were clear, except for mosquitoes! Tioga Pass was a little smoky. Echo summit was more so. I think if you stay east of or near the crest south of Tioga Pass you will be OK. It sure is bad for the PCT hikers. About 10 days ago I met several of the early starters who had reached northern Yosemite (Smeldberg Lake area). They are probably near or past Donner summit by now and into the thick of the smoke.
I'll be heading to Pear Lake and possibly up into tablelands this weekend. I will post a report when I return.
Posted by: hikerduane
Re: We are burning up! - 07/10/08 05:51 AM
The smoke is bad this morning here in Carson City, I can't see the Sierra from work. It has to be worse at home. I'll know tomorrow afternoon, my place is only a few minutes from the PCT. By motorcycle that is.:)
I live on the east side of Clovis CA and have not seen the mountains for about a week. This is the worst I have seen it in a long time, but it is not all that uncommon. The native American's used to call this the valley of the smoke.